In a big revelation in India, about 53 per cent of institutions which are active under the government's minority scholarship programme have been found to be 'fake', said multiple media reports. The findings have reportedly been obtained in a internal inquiry which was conducted by Ministry of Minority Affairs. This is being reported as 'biggest minority scholarship scam' in the country. The inquiry by the ministry has brought to the fore corruption in 830 such institutions. It is being touted to be a scam amounting to more than 17 million US dollars (Rs 144.83 crore), reported India Today.

Union Minister Smriti Irani has sent the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

As per the report, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has lodged a complaint in the matter. The complaint was lodged on July 10. The internal inquiry involved investigation in 100 districts across 34 states. A total of 1572 institutions were reportedly scrutinised.

The authorities have now frozen accounts of 830 institutions which are under the scanner.

India Today reported that the ministry has raised questions with banks as to why accounts of such institutions were opened in the first place.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-reconstitutes-cwc-sachin-pilot-and-shashi-tharoor-included-627234">Congress reconstitutes CWC, Shashi Tharoor and Sachin Pilot included</a>

The report said that many of the institutions under scanner were registered on National Scholarship Portal as well as the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) but they were non-existent or non-operational.

The CBI will now investigate nodal officers of these institutions who submitted approval reports as well district nodal officers who verified cases which were found to be fake. The agency will also probe into how a scam of such size was allowed to persist for years in multiple Indian states.

The ministry's probe has reportedly found that in 62 institutions in Chhattisgarh were found to be fake. In Rajasthan, the number was 99. In Assam, 68 per cent of the probed institutions were found to be suspicious. The percentages in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were 64, 44 and 39 respectively.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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In a big revelation in India, about 53 per cent of institutions which are active under the government's minority scholarship programme have been found to be 'fake', said multiple media reports.

In a big revelation in India, about 53 per cent of institutions which are active under the government's minority scholarship programme have been found to be 'fake', said multiple media reports. The findings have reportedly been obtained in a internal inquiry which was conducted by Ministry of Minority Affairs. This is being reported as 'biggest minority scholarship scam' in the country. The inquiry by the ministry has brought to the fore corruption in 830 such institutions. It is being touted to be a scam amounting to more than 17 million US dollars (Rs 144.83 crore), reported India Today. Union Minister Smriti Irani has sent the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). As per the report, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has lodged a complaint in the matter. The complaint was lodged on July 10. The internal inquiry involved investigation in 100 districts across 34 states. A total of 1572 institutions were reportedly scrutinised. The authorities have now frozen accounts of 830 institutions which are under the scanner. India Today reported that the ministry has raised questions with banks as to why accounts of such institutions were opened in the first place. Also Read | Congress reconstitutes CWC, Shashi Tharoor and Sachin Pilot included The report said that many of the institutions under scanner were registered on National Scholarship Portal as well as the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) but they were non-existent or non-operational. The CBI will now investigate nodal officers of these institutions who submitted approval reports as well district nodal officers who verified cases which were found to be fake. The agency will also probe into how a scam of such size was allowed to persist for years in multiple Indian states. The ministry's probe has reportedly found that in 62 institutions in Chhattisgarh were found to be fake. In Rajasthan, the number was 99. In Assam, 68 per cent of the probed institutions were found to be suspicious. The percentages in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were 64, 44 and 39 respectively. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Indian ministry flags minority scholarship scam, CBI to probe 830 institutions: Report

ChatGPT, a very popularised chatbot created by OpenAI, was used by a professor at the University of Victoria in Canada to write a reference letter which a student needed to get a scholarship. The decision paid off well as the student was able to get the scholarship, reported The Atlantic.&nbsp;

Matt Huculak, who is the head of advanced research services at the libraries of the university, directed ChatGPT to pen down an "excellent" reference letter for a student who was then selected for a graduate programme at one of the "top-three" schools in Canada.&nbsp;

The student was not just selected but also offered a prestigious scholarship by the University of Cambridge soon later, Hucula said.

"Honestly, the ChatGPT generated letter was among some of the best letters I've read. It was concise, it used "concrete" examples, it spoke to the candidate's ability to collaborate with others," Huculak stated. &nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/users-get-spine-chilling-responses-after-asking-chatgpt-what-ai-is-most-scared-of-585956">Users get spine-chilling responses after asking ChatGPT what AI is most scared of</a>.

The response of the chatbot was used by the professor as a template of what one should not write in the recommendation letter as he knew that AI would create a formulaic and tired letter.&nbsp;

Huculak said that the final outcome left him pleasantly surprised. "What I wrote ended up feeling like the most 'human' and heartfelt letter I've written in a long time," he said.&nbsp;

Huculak stated that he used ChatGPT to write an original letter. He said that the professors generally recycle the reference letters they gave in the past and format them to suit the needs of a particular student, which can produce dull letters.

"A formula, per se, isn't bad," said Huculak. "But when a professor is invested in a student's success, you are always fighting the 'form' of expectations in order to show how unique your student is and why they will be successful at the institution to which they are applying," he added. &nbsp; &nbsp;

By repurposing old reference letters, the professors used to save time and escape the anxiety of an empty page. Huculak said that taking the help of ChatGPT to generate the letters can break the cycle.

WATCH | Gravitas : Does Snapchat's chatbot have its own mind?

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He said that the attempt provided him with a space to experiment with writing in a way he was not earlier comfortable. &nbsp;Huculak said that writing a reference letter "is a tremendously difficult task" which he finds "anxiety-producing". &nbsp; &nbsp;

While few schools and colleges around the world have banned ChatGPT fearing that students, with the help of AI chatbot, will indulge in plagiarism and cheating, Huculak is among professors who believe that the technology is here to make people's jobs easier and boost the productivity of the students.&nbsp;

You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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ChatGPT, a very popularised chatbot created by OpenAI, was used by a professor at the University of Victoria in Canada to write a reference letter which a student needed to get a scholarship.

ChatGPT, a very popularised chatbot created by OpenAI, was used by a professor at the University of Victoria in Canada to write a reference letter which a student needed to get a scholarship. The decision paid off well as the student was able to get the scholarship, reported The Atlantic. Matt Huculak, who is the head of advanced research services at the libraries of the university, directed ChatGPT to pen down an "excellent" reference letter for a student who was then selected for a graduate programme at one of the "top-three" schools in Canada. The student was not just selected but also offered a prestigious scholarship by the University of Cambridge soon later, Hucula said. "Honestly, the ChatGPT generated letter was among some of the best letters I've read. It was concise, it used "concrete" examples, it spoke to the candidate's ability to collaborate with others," Huculak stated. ALSO READ | Users get spine-chilling responses after asking ChatGPT what AI is most scared of. The response of the chatbot was used by the professor as a template of what one should not write in the recommendation letter as he knew that AI would create a formulaic and tired letter. Huculak said that the final outcome left him pleasantly surprised. "What I wrote ended up feeling like the most 'human' and heartfelt letter I've written in a long time," he said. Huculak stated that he used ChatGPT to write an original letter. He said that the professors generally recycle the reference letters they gave in the past and format them to suit the needs of a particular student, which can produce dull letters. "A formula, per se, isn't bad," said Huculak. "But when a professor is invested in a student's success, you are always fighting the 'form' of expectations in order to show how unique your student is and why they will be successful at the institution to which they are applying," he added. By repurposing old reference letters, the professors used to save time and escape the anxiety of an empty page. Huculak said that taking the help of ChatGPT to generate the letters can break the cycle. WATCH | Gravitas : Does Snapchat's chatbot have its own mind? He said that the attempt provided him with a space to experiment with writing in a way he was not earlier comfortable. Huculak said that writing a reference letter "is a tremendously difficult task" which he finds "anxiety-producing". While few schools and colleges around the world have banned ChatGPT fearing that students, with the help of AI chatbot, will indulge in plagiarism and cheating, Huculak is among professors who believe that the technology is here to make people's jobs easier and boost the productivity of the students. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

ChatGPT assists professor in writing recommendation letter for student, gets him scholarship

Language is a medium of communication; every language has its own distinctive system of patterns that make up the phonological system of that language. When we try to understand the essence of one philosophy by translating it into a completely alien language, from one of the most ancient languages to one of the youngest,&nbsp;then the resultant meaning loses its essence.

It is widely claimed that jurisprudence of Hindu family law is derived from principles of Hindu Religion, based on Shrutis and Smritis, and Customary Practices i.e. Manusmriti and Yagyavalkya Smriti, e.g. Saptapadi in Section - 7(2) of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, source of which is Sanskrit language and is translated in the English Language, what better I expect than making the translation of "mangalsutra" as "thali" (with ref. to State Amendments Section 7A Pondicherry: Sec - 7A(c) “Tying of Thali”.

We often see western scholars doing blunders in their attempt to translate Hindu Scriptures into English. Just substantiating my contention of para - 1, Excerpt from _Tarik-Al-Hind_, Chapter -1, Para - 2, by Alberuni - 

<blockquote>
If you want to conquer this difficulty (i.e. to learn Sanskrit), you will not find it easy, because the language is of an enormous range, both in words and inflections, something like the Arabic, calling one and the same thing by various names, both original and derived, and using one and the same word for a variety of subjects, which, in order to be properly understood, must be distinguished from each other by various qualifying epithets. For nobody distinguish between the various meanings of a word unless he understands the context in which it occurs and its relation both to the following and the preceding parts of the sentence. Our tongue and uvula could scarcely manage to correctly pronounce them, nor our ears in hearing to distinguish them from similar sounds, nor could we transliterate them with our characters.
</blockquote>

What was understood by Iranian scholars in 1017-18, AD, our colonial-minded historians and academicians have failed to understand the nuances. Alberuni mentions in his account while writing about Sanskrit "nobody could distinguish between the various meanings of a word unless he understands the context in which it occurs", now it would be over expecting an injustice with Britishers to expect them to know, the actual context in which words were being used in ancient texts in indigenous languages.

Hindi is a language derived from Sanskrit.&nbsp;It has 108 synonyms for sun, 18 synonyms for water, and 28 synonyms for cloud and each are used differently in a different context.

The loose translation results in absurd translations – As religion is often translated as dharma, which is absurd, the nearest word in the English language could be "righteous behaviour" or "duty", but even though it is not the same. Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root dhr which means ‘to support’ or ‘sustain’; dharma thus means ‘that which supports or upholds the world and its beings'. Dharma is completely and Hindu Concept and has no similar word in any language. 

Samskaras are the many purificatory practises carried out to purify and refine a person's body, mind, and intellect. It has a spiritual connotation. Samskaras are loosely translated by western scholars as “Ritual or Ceremonies”. But, we know there are various ceremonies which do not have any spiritual nexus. Examples of rituals and ceremonies that have no religious significance and are secular in character include the flag ceremony that is customary in most nations and taking the oath of office, So, these are merely ceremonies that are not samskaras due to lacking spiritual relation. 

In modern times, Paap is often translated as sin in English, but please note that it is far different from the concept of Sin defined in Christianity. Also, Christianity does not really have a concept of Punya and English does not have an apt word for it — translated as good or Saintly deed these days

The principle of blasphemy, translated as “Ish-Ninda”, is not at all an Indian concept, reflected in 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code 1860, This doctrine of monotheistic religion due to colonial mindset is imposed upon us, The Indian way of thought is of inspection.

I remember the words of Prof. Makarand R. Paranjape, (Former Professor of English at Jawaharlal Nehru University) he says "Nothing is exactly the same as the thing is in one language in other languages". 

The word Guru gets often translated as teacher, this trivialises the meaning of entire philosophy, Guru is derived from two words Gu and Ru, Gu means Ignorance and Ru means Remover, Guru is a person who departs ignorance of any person. Whereas, a teacher is a person who teaches for remuneration and consideration to students. 

Sanskrit is a very ancient language and has been developed over time. The word ‘artha’—which is generally understood as ‘meaning’—itself has many meanings. For example, when used along with puruṣa, the term puruṣārtha means “the goal of mankind”. When used with indriya as in indriyārtha, the term means the “objects of the senses”. When used with pada as in padārtha, it means a “symbol with meaning”. And when used with śabda as in śabdārtha, it means “the effect of the sound on some consciousness”.

Shradha is not Faith, Hanumana is not Monkey God, Bhramachari is not Celibate, Dasa is not Slave, Naga is not Naked, Sanskriti is not Culture, Paap is not sin, Punya is not Saintly Deed, Niti is not Policy, Aatma is not the soul.

It has often been seen, that in an attempt to translate one dismantles the very essence of the word, It is not true that whole knowledge and intellect is just in one language as Thomas Babington Macaulay, says oneself of English literature is more worth than all the literature of India combined, this only reflects the racist mindset and not to rectify mistakes made by English in past is the biggest blunder we will be doing of the century. At least what could be expected is instead of giving particular emphasis to Latin, phrases at least our judiciary quotes words from indigenous language when even the nearest translation in another language subverts the essence.

Language is a medium of communication; every language has its own distinctive system of patterns that make up the phonological system of that language. When we try to understand the essence of one philosophy by translating it into a completely alien language, from one of the most ancient languages to one of the youngest, then the resultant meaning loses its essence.

Language is a medium of communication; every language has its own distinctive system of patterns that make up the phonological system of that language. When we try to understand the essence of one philosophy by translating it into a completely alien language, from one of the most ancient languages to one of the youngest, then the resultant meaning loses its essence. It is widely claimed that jurisprudence of Hindu family law is derived from principles of Hindu Religion, based on Shrutis and Smritis, and Customary Practices i.e. Manusmriti and Yagyavalkya Smriti, e.g. Saptapadi in Section - 7(2) of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, source of which is Sanskrit language and is translated in the English Language, what better I expect than making the translation of "mangalsutra" as "thali" (with ref. to State Amendments Section 7A Pondicherry: Sec - 7A(c) “Tying of Thali”. We often see western scholars doing blunders in their attempt to translate Hindu Scriptures into English. Just substantiating my contention of para - 1, Excerpt from _Tarik-Al-Hind_, Chapter -1, Para - 2, by Alberuni - If you want to conquer this difficulty (i.e. to learn Sanskrit), you will not find it easy, because the language is of an enormous range, both in words and inflections, something like the Arabic, calling one and the same thing by various names, both original and derived, and using one and the same word for a variety of subjects, which, in order to be properly understood, must be distinguished from each other by various qualifying epithets. For nobody distinguish between the various meanings of a word unless he understands the context in which it occurs and its relation both to the following and the preceding parts of the sentence. Our tongue and uvula could scarcely manage to correctly pronounce them, nor our ears in hearing to distinguish them from similar sounds, nor could we transliterate them with our characters. What was understood by Iranian scholars in 1017-18, AD, our colonial-minded historians and academicians have failed to understand the nuances. Alberuni mentions in his account while writing about Sanskrit "nobody could distinguish between the various meanings of a word unless he understands the context in which it occurs", now it would be over expecting an injustice with Britishers to expect them to know, the actual context in which words were being used in ancient texts in indigenous languages. Hindi is a language derived from Sanskrit. It has 108 synonyms for sun, 18 synonyms for water, and 28 synonyms for cloud and each are used differently in a different context. The loose translation results in absurd translations – As religion is often translated as dharma, which is absurd, the nearest word in the English language could be "righteous behaviour" or "duty", but even though it is not the same. Dharma is derived from the Sanskrit root dhr which means ‘to support’ or ‘sustain’; dharma thus means ‘that which supports or upholds the world and its beings'. Dharma is completely and Hindu Concept and has no similar word in any language. Samskaras are the many purificatory practises carried out to purify and refine a person's body, mind, and intellect. It has a spiritual connotation. Samskaras are loosely translated by western scholars as “Ritual or Ceremonies”. But, we know there are various ceremonies which do not have any spiritual nexus. Examples of rituals and ceremonies that have no religious significance and are secular in character include the flag ceremony that is customary in most nations and taking the oath of office, So, these are merely ceremonies that are not samskaras due to lacking spiritual relation. In modern times, Paap is often translated as sin in English, but please note that it is far different from the concept of Sin defined in Christianity. Also, Christianity does not really have a concept of Punya and English does not have an apt word for it — translated as good or Saintly deed these days The principle of blasphemy, translated as “Ish-Ninda”, is not at all an Indian concept, reflected in 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code 1860, This doctrine of monotheistic religion due to colonial mindset is imposed upon us, The Indian way of thought is of inspection. I remember the words of Prof. Makarand R. Paranjape, (Former Professor of English at Jawaharlal Nehru University) he says "Nothing is exactly the same as the thing is in one language in other languages". The word Guru gets often translated as teacher, this trivialises the meaning of entire philosophy, Guru is derived from two words Gu and Ru, Gu means Ignorance and Ru means Remover, Guru is a person who departs ignorance of any person. Whereas, a teacher is a person who teaches for remuneration and consideration to students. Sanskrit is a very ancient language and has been developed over time. The word ‘artha’—which is generally understood as ‘meaning’—itself has many meanings. For example, when used along with puruṣa, the term puruṣārtha means “the goal of mankind”. When used with indriya as in indriyārtha, the term means the “objects of the senses”. When used with pada as in padārtha, it means a “symbol with meaning”. And when used with śabda as in śabdārtha, it means “the effect of the sound on some consciousness”. Shradha is not Faith, Hanumana is not Monkey God, Bhramachari is not Celibate, Dasa is not Slave, Naga is not Naked, Sanskriti is not Culture, Paap is not sin, Punya is not Saintly Deed, Niti is not Policy, Aatma is not the soul. It has often been seen, that in an attempt to translate one dismantles the very essence of the word, It is not true that whole knowledge and intellect is just in one language as Thomas Babington Macaulay, says oneself of English literature is more worth than all the literature of India combined, this only reflects the racist mindset and not to rectify mistakes made by English in past is the biggest blunder we will be doing of the century. At least what could be expected is instead of giving particular emphasis to Latin, phrases at least our judiciary quotes words from indigenous language when even the nearest translation in another language subverts the essence.

Analysis of Sanskrit words and contexts that the western scholars often misunderstand

In a new diktat that seeks to stifle criticism of its regime, the Taliban have warned to punish those who criticise the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” scholars and public servants with a gesture, word or anything else, Voice of America (VOA) reports.

The spokesperson of the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, issued these new “instructions” citing their leader&nbsp;Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada.&nbsp;It said&nbsp;that the implementation of these so-called guidelines was the “Sharia responsibility” of the people and the media.

The “instructions” also prohibit the public from making unnecessary accusations against Taliban workers and officials.

The so-called instructions come in the backdrop of a spate of arrests and torture of the dissidents who criticised the Taliban for preventing girls’ education and women’s and human rights.

These new directives were published weeks after an Islamic religious scholar from Herat, Mujibur Rahman Ansari, asked the participants at the “Great Meeting of Scholars” in Kabul to issue a fatwa, calling&nbsp;for the beheading of the opponents of the Taliban government.

The guidelines of the Taliban leader mention that such actions amount to “negative propaganda” which “unconsciously helps the enemies”, reported VOA. Though they have not explained who are these “enemies”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/was-detained-by-taliban-for-writing-against-them-australian-journalist-details-her-ordeal-to-wion-499921">'Detained by Taliban for writing against them', Oz journalist details ordeal</a>

Moreover, if any person “touches any soldier, or pulls his clothes, or says bad things to him”, he will be punished appropriately, the “instructions” of the Taliban leader state.

The Taliban is currently engaged in a skirmish with the self-identified “National Resistance Front”, which has repeatedly accused the fundamentalists of “arresting, killing and injuring civilians”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-youtuber-assaulted-for-fun-by-taliban-terrorists-499980" hreflang="en">Afghan YouTuber assaulted for 'fun' by Taliban terrorists</a>

According to a UN report released earlier this week, 54 cases of torture and ill-treatment and 113 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, 23 cases of incommunicado detention and 18 extrajudicial killings of individuals affiliated with the National Resistance Front have been reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In a new diktat that seeks to stifle criticism of its regime, the Taliban have warned to punish those who criticise the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” scholars and public servants with a gesture, word or anything else, Voice of America (VOA) reports.

In a new diktat that seeks to stifle criticism of its regime, the Taliban have warned to punish those who criticise the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” scholars and public servants with a gesture, word or anything else, Voice of America (VOA) reports. The spokesperson of the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, issued these new “instructions” citing their leader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada. It said that the implementation of these so-called guidelines was the “Sharia responsibility” of the people and the media. The “instructions” also prohibit the public from making unnecessary accusations against Taliban workers and officials. The so-called instructions come in the backdrop of a spate of arrests and torture of the dissidents who criticised the Taliban for preventing girls’ education and women’s and human rights. These new directives were published weeks after an Islamic religious scholar from Herat, Mujibur Rahman Ansari, asked the participants at the “Great Meeting of Scholars” in Kabul to issue a fatwa, calling for the beheading of the opponents of the Taliban government. The guidelines of the Taliban leader mention that such actions amount to “negative propaganda” which “unconsciously helps the enemies”, reported VOA. Though they have not explained who are these “enemies”. Also read | 'Detained by Taliban for writing against them', Oz journalist details ordeal Moreover, if any person “touches any soldier, or pulls his clothes, or says bad things to him”, he will be punished appropriately, the “instructions” of the Taliban leader state. The Taliban is currently engaged in a skirmish with the self-identified “National Resistance Front”, which has repeatedly accused the fundamentalists of “arresting, killing and injuring civilians”. Also read | Afghan YouTuber assaulted for 'fun' by Taliban terrorists According to a UN report released earlier this week, 54 cases of torture and ill-treatment and 113 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, 23 cases of incommunicado detention and 18 extrajudicial killings of individuals affiliated with the National Resistance Front have been reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Taliban issue new diktat, vow to punish those who criticise ‘Islamic Emirate’

A four-year-old dog lost one of her hind legs in an accident when she was just a pup. But now a student is using his university scholarship to fund her 3D-printed prosthetic leg. WION brings you this report.

Vet student donates his scholarship for 3D-printed prosthetic leg for dogs

In the first decision taken after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-union-cabinet-to-meet-this-evening-223031">assuming charge of the new government</a>, Prime Minister Modi on Friday approved a major change in the ‘Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme’ under the National Defence Fund.&nbsp;

PM Modi approved the increased rates of scholarship from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls.

The PM also extended the ambit of the Scholarship Scheme to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks.&nbsp;

The quota of new scholarships for children of state police officials will be 500 in a year.

The first meeting of the new Union Cabinet was held today at 5:30 pm.

The meeting was scheduled a day after Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers were sworn in</a>&nbsp;at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Watch: PM Modi approves changes to ‘PM’s Scholarship Scheme’ under National Defence Fund

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The Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha includes 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS).

In the first decision taken after assuming charge of the new government, Prime Minister Modi on Friday approved a major change in the ‘Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme’ under the National Defence Fund.

In the first decision taken after assuming charge of the new government, Prime Minister Modi on Friday approved a major change in the ‘Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme’ under the National Defence Fund. PM Modi approved the increased rates of scholarship from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls. The PM also extended the ambit of the Scholarship Scheme to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for children of state police officials will be 500 in a year. The first meeting of the new Union Cabinet was held today at 5:30 pm. The meeting was scheduled a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers were sworn in at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Watch: PM Modi approves changes to ‘PM’s Scholarship Scheme’ under National Defence Fund × The Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha includes 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS).

PM Modi approves major change to scholarship scheme, extends quota to wards of martyrs

Indian diplomacy is often seen as a balance between its hard power and soft power, and this balance drives New Delhi&rsquo;s &lsquo;great power&rsquo; ambitions. The traditional view of a &lsquo;great power&rsquo; is often associated with hard power and includes economic and military clout that countries leverage in order to influence the international order. The concept of &lsquo;soft power&rsquo;, pioneered by Harvard Professor Joseph Nye, is associated with the power to attract and co-opt as a means of influence.

India has plenty to leverage when it comes to soft power - from yoga and Ayurveda to democratic institutions and its rich history and culture &ndash; but there is definitely something it can learn from China.

China&rsquo;s &lsquo;soft power&rsquo; projections are more often than not, driven by centralised government schemes and conscious efforts of promotion of its culture and society to the world &ndash; be it rapidly spreading Confucius Institutes or extravagant displays of its ancient culture, likes of which the world witnessed during 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. Unlike China, India&rsquo;s &lsquo;attractiveness&rsquo; to the world has grown organically, with little or no strategic government initiatives.

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<h5>To understand China&rsquo;s soft power experiment one should look at its enhanced focus on higher education reforms and projections.</h5>
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However, we have witnessed some of New Delhi&rsquo;s conscious efforts with yoga at heart of it; but it&rsquo;s only on a limited scale. On the contrary, to understand China&rsquo;s soft power experiment one should look at its enhanced focus on higher education reforms and projections. No small parts of China&rsquo;s &lsquo;soft power&rsquo; strategies are its elite scholarship programs, such as Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University and Yenching Academy at Peking University. Modeled after Oxford&rsquo;s prestigious Rhodes scholarships, these scholarships are designed to educate and influence future leaders of the world.

These scholarships are attracting the best and brightest graduates from across the world, many of whom have graduated from Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge and other top-ranked universities. With the full support of Chinese government and policymakers, these fully funded scholarships are backed by huge endowments and donations. For instance, American billionaire and Chairman of private equity firm Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman have donated 100 million USD.

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<h5>The trend is indicative of the fact that &lsquo;higher education&rsquo; and &lsquo;quality education&rsquo; no longer remain the monopoly of the global north and there is scope for universities and institutes from developing world to compete for the best and brightest minds.</h5>
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The attraction towards these scholarships is representative of China&rsquo;s constantly growing global influence and shifting international order. The specially designed curriculum of these programs is an effective &lsquo;soft power&rsquo; tool deployed by Beijing, as they allow &lsquo;future leaders&rsquo; to explore China&rsquo;s ancient culture and traditions, its politics and its role and aspirations in the 21st century.

The trend is indicative of the fact that &lsquo;higher education&rsquo; and &lsquo;quality education&rsquo; no longer remain the monopoly of the global north and there is scope for universities and institutes from developing world to compete for the best and brightest minds. But it&rsquo;s a long road ahead for India until we focus on our quality of research. India&rsquo;s highest-ranked institution Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) is not even in the top 250, as per world university rankings by Times Higher Education (THE), while China&rsquo;s Peking and Tsinghua were ranked 27th and 30th respectively and had seven representations in Top 200 of 2018 rankings. Quality of research and teaching are the key areas where Indian institutions continue lacking.

Creation of such elite scholarship/fellowship programs could also be utilised by New Delhi as an instrument of diplomacy; the way Britain and America have done in the 20th century and China has started doing. In the past, Indian corporates and individuals have endowed such funds and scholarships allowing Indians to study abroad &ndash; and now is the time when India should attract &lsquo;future leaders&rsquo; and let them explore India&rsquo;s rich culture and heritage and more importantly understand India&rsquo;s role in global affairs. Such an investment could prove to be highly successful in attracting people to the world&rsquo;s largest democracy.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Creation of such elite scholarship/fellowship programs could be utilised by New Delhi as an instrument of diplomacy; the way Britain and America have done in the 20th century and China has started doing

Indian diplomacy is often seen as a balance between its hard power and soft power, and this balance drives New Delhi’s ‘great power’ ambitions. The traditional view of a ‘great power’ is often associated with hard power and includes economic and military clout that countries leverage in order to influence the international order. The concept of ‘soft power’, pioneered by Harvard Professor Joseph Nye, is associated with the power to attract and co-opt as a means of influence. India has plenty to leverage when it comes to soft power - from yoga and Ayurveda to democratic institutions and its rich history and culture – but there is definitely something it can learn from China. China’s ‘soft power’ projections are more often than not, driven by centralised government schemes and conscious efforts of promotion of its culture and society to the world – be it rapidly spreading Confucius Institutes or extravagant displays of its ancient culture, likes of which the world witnessed during 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. Unlike China, India’s ‘attractiveness’ to the world has grown organically, with little or no strategic government initiatives. To understand China’s soft power experiment one should look at its enhanced focus on higher education reforms and projections. × However, we have witnessed some of New Delhi’s conscious efforts with yoga at heart of it; but it’s only on a limited scale. On the contrary, to understand China’s soft power experiment one should look at its enhanced focus on higher education reforms and projections. No small parts of China’s ‘soft power’ strategies are its elite scholarship programs, such as Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University and Yenching Academy at Peking University. Modeled after Oxford’s prestigious Rhodes scholarships, these scholarships are designed to educate and influence future leaders of the world. These scholarships are attracting the best and brightest graduates from across the world, many of whom have graduated from Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge and other top-ranked universities. With the full support of Chinese government and policymakers, these fully funded scholarships are backed by huge endowments and donations. For instance, American billionaire and Chairman of private equity firm Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman have donated 100 million USD. The trend is indicative of the fact that ‘higher education’ and ‘quality education’ no longer remain the monopoly of the global north and there is scope for universities and institutes from developing world to compete for the best and brightest minds. × The attraction towards these scholarships is representative of China’s constantly growing global influence and shifting international order. The specially designed curriculum of these programs is an effective ‘soft power’ tool deployed by Beijing, as they allow ‘future leaders’ to explore China’s ancient culture and traditions, its politics and its role and aspirations in the 21st century. The trend is indicative of the fact that ‘higher education’ and ‘quality education’ no longer remain the monopoly of the global north and there is scope for universities and institutes from developing world to compete for the best and brightest minds. But it’s a long road ahead for India until we focus on our quality of research. India’s highest-ranked institution Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) is not even in the top 250, as per world university rankings by Times Higher Education (THE), while China’s Peking and Tsinghua were ranked 27th and 30th respectively and had seven representations in Top 200 of 2018 rankings. Quality of research and teaching are the key areas where Indian institutions continue lacking. Creation of such elite scholarship/fellowship programs could also be utilised by New Delhi as an instrument of diplomacy; the way Britain and America have done in the 20th century and China has started doing. In the past, Indian corporates and individuals have endowed such funds and scholarships allowing Indians to study abroad – and now is the time when India should attract ‘future leaders’ and let them explore India’s rich culture and heritage and more importantly understand India’s role in global affairs. Such an investment could prove to be highly successful in attracting people to the world’s largest democracy. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: China excels in soft power diplomacy; India doesn't

For all those looking to pursue fellowships, here is a list of the most rigorous fellowship programmes available for youth in South Asia, offering young minds a platform to perform and become active changemakers.
<ul>
	<li>Ashoka Fellowship</li>
</ul>
The fellowship is for leading social entrepreneurs who have innovative solutions to social problems and have the potential to change patterns across the society. They have a huge network of fellows working worldwide on social issues and areas of human need.&nbsp; 
? 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow1ashoka-20160923053326.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">&nbsp;</div>

<ul>
	<li>Bhutan Prime Minister Fellowship</li>
</ul>
Under the Gross National Happiness Communication, it lets aspiring young leaders experience first-hand public policy making in the Royal government, Bhutan. The fellowship offers an opportunity to experience the country&rsquo;s culture of governance while participating in developmental policy formulation. It helps to enhance the fellow&#39;s leadership qualities.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellows2-20160923062232.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Eisenhower Fellowships Sri Lanka</li>
</ul>
Fellows from selected countries around the world are taken to the&nbsp;United States under the fellowship, every year. They are put in touch with NGO leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, journalists, opinion-makers and government officials to get a deeper understanding of the world affairs. The fellowship exposes everyone to different ideas and innovations in their fields of interest. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellows3-20160923063036.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Young India Fellowship</li>
</ul>
It is a one-year multidisciplinary postgraduate diploma programme in liberal studies. The fellowship brings together a group of 215 bright young individuals who show exceptional intellectual ability and leadership potential from across the country&nbsp;and trains them to become socially-committed agents of change. The aim is to help fellows become well-rounded individuals who are able to think critically from multiple perspectives, communicate effectively and become leaders with a commitment to public service. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow4-20160923065733.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>YLAC Fellowship- Young Leaders For Active Citizenship</li>
</ul>
This one is a four-week project-based engagement for university students and young professionals who are keen to explore the fields of public policy and development. The programme aims at strengthening core skills in public leadership, policy analysis and advocacy campaign design, with the experience of working on a live project for a member of parliament.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellows5-20160923070436.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>William J Clinton Fellowship</li>
</ul>
The fellowship helps shape the next generation of leaders committed to impactful change while also strengthening civil society to be more efficient. It serves as a bridge between the&nbsp;United States and India by encouraging professionals to work together and pairs them with leading NGOs and social enterprises in India to accelerate impact and create effective projects that are replicable, scalable, and sustainable. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow6-20160923071324.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">&nbsp;</div>

<ul>
	<li>Gandhi Fellowship</li>
</ul>
The fellowship is a full-time, two-year residential leadership programme awarded to the inspired and inventive youth from top universities and colleges across India. The fellows are those who aspire to bring a large-scale systemic change and resolve the country&rsquo;s pressing problems through their own innovations and social change ideas. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow7-20160923073741.jpg" /> 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Daayitwa Fellowship</li>
</ul>
The Daayitwa&nbsp;fellowship fosters a close collaboration, a relationship built on trust and solidarity towards the constituencies and citizens of Nepal. The common goal is to promote leadership and innovation in governance for creating an enabling environment that promotes economic prosperity and inclusive growth by harnessing the values of collaboration, innovation, and service. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow8-20160923074229.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">&nbsp;</div>

<ul>
	<li>KP Civic Innovation Fellowship</li>
</ul>
It is a six-month programme supported by Code for Pakistan, the KP IT Board, and the World Bank, where a team of &nbsp;researchers, designers, community organisers, and developers collaborate to build apps, inspire citizen engagement, improve governance, and show how to innovate in public services. These apps work towards solving problems in a variety of public domains such as healthcare, crime, disaster management, citizen engagement, transportation, traffic, education, etc. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow9-20160923074638.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">&nbsp;</div>

<ul>
	<li>The Asia Leadership Fellow Program</li>
</ul>
The programme provides selected leaders in the region with an opportunity to reside for two months at the International House of Japan in Tokyo&nbsp;and engage in collaborative and individual research and exchange activities. Since the initiation of the programme, the ALFP has annually invited six to seven fellows from nearly 17 Asian countries and regions. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/fellow10-20160923075019.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
(Contributed by&nbsp;Shashwat Mittal and Zeba Khan)
</div>

These fellowships are for community-building and increasing individual participation in societal development

For all those looking to pursue fellowships, here is a list of the most rigorous fellowship programmes available for youth in South Asia, offering young minds a platform to perform and become active changemakers. Ashoka Fellowship The fellowship is for leading social entrepreneurs who have innovative solutions to social problems and have the potential to change patterns across the society. They have a huge network of fellows working worldwide on social issues and areas of human need. ? Bhutan Prime Minister Fellowship Under the Gross National Happiness Communication, it lets aspiring young leaders experience first-hand public policy making in the Royal government, Bhutan. The fellowship offers an opportunity to experience the country’s culture of governance while participating in developmental policy formulation. It helps to enhance the fellow's leadership qualities. Eisenhower Fellowships Sri Lanka Fellows from selected countries around the world are taken to the United States under the fellowship, every year. They are put in touch with NGO leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, journalists, opinion-makers and government officials to get a deeper understanding of the world affairs. The fellowship exposes everyone to different ideas and innovations in their fields of interest. Young India Fellowship It is a one-year multidisciplinary postgraduate diploma programme in liberal studies. The fellowship brings together a group of 215 bright young individuals who show exceptional intellectual ability and leadership potential from across the country and trains them to become socially-committed agents of change. The aim is to help fellows become well-rounded individuals who are able to think critically from multiple perspectives, communicate effectively and become leaders with a commitment to public service. YLAC Fellowship- Young Leaders For Active Citizenship This one is a four-week project-based engagement for university students and young professionals who are keen to explore the fields of public policy and development. The programme aims at strengthening core skills in public leadership, policy analysis and advocacy campaign design, with the experience of working on a live project for a member of parliament. William J Clinton Fellowship The fellowship helps shape the next generation of leaders committed to impactful change while also strengthening civil society to be more efficient. It serves as a bridge between the United States and India by encouraging professionals to work together and pairs them with leading NGOs and social enterprises in India to accelerate impact and create effective projects that are replicable, scalable, and sustainable. Gandhi Fellowship The fellowship is a full-time, two-year residential leadership programme awarded to the inspired and inventive youth from top universities and colleges across India. The fellows are those who aspire to bring a large-scale systemic change and resolve the country’s pressing problems through their own innovations and social change ideas. Daayitwa Fellowship The Daayitwa fellowship fosters a close collaboration, a relationship built on trust and solidarity towards the constituencies and citizens of Nepal. The common goal is to promote leadership and innovation in governance for creating an enabling environment that promotes economic prosperity and inclusive growth by harnessing the values of collaboration, innovation, and service. KP Civic Innovation Fellowship It is a six-month programme supported by Code for Pakistan, the KP IT Board, and the World Bank, where a team of researchers, designers, community organisers, and developers collaborate to build apps, inspire citizen engagement, improve governance, and show how to innovate in public services. These apps work towards solving problems in a variety of public domains such as healthcare, crime, disaster management, citizen engagement, transportation, traffic, education, etc. The Asia Leadership Fellow Program The programme provides selected leaders in the region with an opportunity to reside for two months at the International House of Japan in Tokyo and engage in collaborative and individual research and exchange activities. Since the initiation of the programme, the ALFP has annually invited six to seven fellows from nearly 17 Asian countries and regions. (Contributed by Shashwat Mittal and Zeba Khan)

10 fellowships in South Asia you should try getting into

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